The Dutch Jeroen Dijsselbloem is the new president of the Eurogroup. The finance ministers of the Eurozone nominated him yesterday evening. Unknown to most, Dijsselbloem has only been finance minister for two months, but the press offices in The Hague present him as "an excellent mediator and a fine strategist". His appointment was heavily sponsored by Berlin.
Dijsselbloem, a Labor member, is 46 years old and has a degree in agricultural economics. He speaks perfect English (with an Irish accent, from Cork, specify those who know him) and also "a little French and a little German", Dutch diplomatic sources say. The French minister Moscovici, with ill-concealed condescension, described him as "a nice and intelligent man who has just arrived among us".
Completing the banking union, pursuing the strategy of consolidating accounts, creating jobs: this is the agenda described by Dijsselbloem at the end of the meeting that elected him: "I believe that austerity and balanced accounts are important for the future, because they mean more investments and growth opportunities. But the road to getting accounts in order is a tough one,” he said.
The outgoing president, Jean Claude Juncker, at his last meeting of the Eurogroup, admitted to feeling "a little melancholy, but above all relief".
